Second Chances:Thanksgiving Is More Than A Holiday
by jtbwriter
Summary: When one of the Simons goes missing before Thanksgiving, it takes a story from the past to reunite a family for the holiday. All Comments, Reviews and Constructive Criticism welcome, Thanks!
1. Default Chapter

SECOND CHANCES:  
Thankgiving Is More Than A Holiday  
  
A Simon & Simon/Six Million Dollar Man/Dark Shadows Crossover Tale  
  
When one of the Simons goes missing before Thanksgiving, it takes a  
story from the past to reunite a family for the holiday. (This is a work of fiction. No money is being made on it, and the characters are owned by Universal and are only being borrowed for a little while. .)  
  
Chapter 1  
  
"Rick, if it's snowing too hard, please stay in town with A.J., promise?" He heard the worry in her voice, so Rick Simon hastened to reassure his wife. "I will, sweetheart. I'm not crazy about wrecking my truck on that icy road. I'll call you before I leave work."  
  
"Thank you, darling, I'm staying put myself, we postponed the writing class until tomorrow, I wouldn't want any of the students out in this weather either." Laurie told him. "I'm glad, Laurie, I don't want you riding in this weather, you're just getting over your cold as it is!"  
  
"Silly, it was just the sniffles, but I'll wear my heavy coat to feed the horses, then close up. Robin's going to stay in town at Tasha's tonight, so it'll just be Oscar and Rudy if you don't come." she explained.  
  
All right, darlin', you take care and I'll call you later.", he said, then lowered his voice. "I love you, angel, you mind your uncles now, hear?"  
  
"Yes, my love, be good yourself!" she returned laughing. Looking at the heavy snow outside, she said goodbye, wishing Rick was safe at home with her.  
  
Suddenly she had the feeling that she wasn't alone, then looking out through the kitchen window,  
she saw her Grandmother standing near the barn. A cold sensation went through her, and putting her coat on, she went out the kitchen door and came within a few feet of her ancestor.  
  
"Grandmother Casey, I'm glad to see you, I had a feeling...." Laurie started, then saw a concerned expression on her face.  
  
"Laurie, you must listen to Richard, don't let anything come between you. Being right isn't worth  
losing what's important.," the spirit told her. Worried, Laurie said, "I do listen to Rick, Grandmother, and I never want to lose him. Is something going to happen to him?"  
  
'Just listen to him, my child. All will be right in the end. Remember the wild turkeys? I learned,  
and so will you." A smile crossed her Grandmother's face, then she faded away.  
  
Laurie stood shivering, now what, she wondered. Turning, she made her way through the snowdrifts to the barn, where she adjusted the heat and filled the feed bins. All the while she kept thinking about her Grandmother's words; what did she mean, don't let anything come between them?  
  
As she went back to the house, she heard a honk, then looking thru the front window, saw Robbie's patrol car. Hitting the remote control, she waited for him to drive in, then opened the front door as he ran from the car to the porch, stopping to stomp the snow from his boots.   
  
"Robbie! I thought you were going to stay in town, darling!" she hugged him, then helped him shake the snow off his jacket. "I was, but I had to take a parolee in, so I dropped him off and Pop told me you were by yourself until Uncle Oscar and Uncle Rudy come home." he replied.  
  
"I'm glad you came, but what about Ramona, is Angelina with her?" she said, bringing him a cup  
of coffee as he sat at the kitchen table. "Yes, she's going to stay overnight since I'm covering for  
Rob. I'm glad Pop's going to stay in town, the hairpin by Rock Ridge is covered with black ice!" he added. Noticing his mother was slightly shivering, he picked her sweater off the chair back and put it over her shoulders. "Thank you Robbie, I was fine until I went out to the barn, your Grandmother Casey appeared and I guess it was colder then I thought!" she smiled gratefully at her son.   
  
"Grandmother came? It's been a long time since you've seen her, what did she say?" he asked,  
concerned that his mother was by herself when it happened.  
  
"It worries me, Rob. She said I was to listen to your father, not to let anything come between us and that being right wasn't worth losing what's important. She said all would be right in the end, but, son, I'd never let anything separate us. I wish I knew what she was talking about." Laurie wondered out loud, then seeing the worried look on her son's face, tried to downplay her fears.  
  
"Of course she could just be giving me some advice for the future, she also told me to remember the wild turkey story. Funny thing is, your father got a kick out of that story when he was in the hospital!" she grinned.   
  
"Yeah, from the Johnson case, isn't that the one from Grandmother's second year with Grandpa Gene? The story where she had words with him, then went in bad weather to Lost Valley to get a Thanksgiving Turkey?" Robbie replied. "Yes, Kasey jumped off Lightning to avoid him falling and ended up falling all the way down to the valley floor. She spent the night and part of the next day holed up in her father's cabin, until Gene managed to get through the drifts and rescue her. She never again went against his advice, at least until they were married!" Laurie smiled.  
  
"Well, speaking of married, do you think Ian's going to pop the question with Robin at Christmas; they've been going together almost two years now, Mom. I think he's serious, and now that he's helping with the training for the Round Table shows, he seems set on settling down." Startled at her son's calm take on his sister's boyfriend, Laurie caught his eye, then laughed as he said, "I'm teasing, Mom. Robin told me that she wants to wait until they're both settled in their careers before making that big a commitment."  
  
"You rascal, you had me going!" she smirked, getting up from the table and whacking him  
on the shoulder. "Honestly, you're as bad as your father, he had me thinking he and A.J. were  
going to San Diego the day before Thanksgiving to pick up an old security deposit. He kept  
saying, "$20 is $20, darlin'." I was about to just give him the twenty dollars until he pulled  
that "gotcha" look on me!"  
  
"That's good, Mom, I'll have to remember that one for Ramona!" he snickered, then said,  
"Bless you!" as she sneezed a couple of times.  
  
"Thank you, son, looks like I'd better take a cold pill. I don't want to go out in this weather  
tomorrow with the sniffles!" she said, blowing her nose.  
  
Later, watching her son drive away, Laurie felt better having had him visit for a few hours.   
Only when he was assured that Oscar and Rudy were coming in from Ojai, did he go back to  
Silver Rock to take his shift at the sheriff station. As she put the finishing touches on a  
tri-tip roast and casserole, she heard the honking of a horn again. Turning off the oven,  
she went toward the front door anticipating seeing her uncle's jeep, only to watch a town  
car drive up to the front gate.   
  
Again feeling a cold sensation, she pressed the intercom button, and firmly said, "This  
is a private residence, who are you?"  
  
"Mrs. Simon, it's Marcus Thomas with Linden House, may we speak with you please?"  
a deep voice requested.  
  
Not able to see inside the tinted windows of the snow-covered car, she hesitated, then  
remembered Rick and Oscar's admonishment not to admit strangers.   
  
"No, Mr. Thomas. I have no further business with Linden House. Please make your  
u-turn and leave, please." she replied. "Mrs. Simon, I understand your concerns regarding  
some of our management's actions. I'm here hoping to open a dialogue between us;  
maybe we can come to an understanding regarding publishing your new book?" he  
answered, a hopeful note in his voice.  
  
Angered, Laurie pushed the intercom button again. "Mr. Thomas, my new book will  
be published by an independent publishing firm that not only benefits our community,  
but that will never take advantage of or put me in danger! I will never again allow  
your company to handle my books again! Please leave now."  
  
Turning off the intercom, she watched as the car slowly backed up, then exited the  
drive, stopping only for a hand to appear out of a window and place an envelope in  
the mailbox. Watching the car drive away, Laurie unconsciously let out a deep  
breath, then found that she was shaking. Suddenly needing to hear her husband's  
voice, she went to the phone and punched in his number, only to hear the office  
recorder come on.  
  
Disappointed, she hung up, then heard the sound of a car's tires crunching  
over the icy snow. Fearful it was the same car, she glanced through the front  
window to see Oscar's jeep, then sighed with relief. Opening the door, she  
came out onto the porch after hitting the remote and watched her two mentors  
exit the car. Seeing a similar look of relief on her uncle's face, she realized  
he had seen the expensive car leaving. Curious about the envelope slipped  
into her mailbox, she went and pulled it out, then met them at the steps.  
  
"Guys, am I glad to see you!" she said, then welcomed Oscar's embrace.  
  
"Not as much as we are to see you, honey!" he told her, then released her  
to greet Rudy, who hugged her, then frowned and put a hand to her forehead.  
"Laurie, you're awfully warm, do you still have a cold?" he asked.  
  
"Just a case of the sniffles, I'm ok!" she replied. "I did get a little worked up  
just now, did you see the town car on the road a few minutes ago?"  
  
"Yes, honey, who was it?" Oscar answered, a note of concern in his voice as  
he put an arm around her as they went into the house.  
  
Telling them about the representatives of her former publishers, she was touched  
when her uncle smiled at her and said "Thank God you knew not to let them in,  
baby. I don't like anyone just showing up like that. If they contact you again,  
you call that attorney of yours."  
  
"Oh, I don't think they'll come again, but I'm going to call George anyway.  
Besides, I know to listen to what you and Rick tell me!", she grinned back  
at him. After letting Oscar examine the envelope, Laurie opened it to find  
a letter basically stating that Linden House wanted to re-sign her to a  
multi-book contract, with a $100,000 advance against her first book.  
  
"They think waving money at me will cure anything, huh?", she  
told her uncles, letting them glance at the letter and contract.  
  
"Somebody doesn't know you very well!" Rudy chuckled, taking the  
papers and with an approving nod from Laurie, ripping them into pieces..  
  
As Rudy helped her put dinner on the table, Oscar called Linda to see if  
A.J. and Rick had come in yet, only to find that A.J. had been dropped off  
an hour before by his brother. "Oscar, my car wouldn't start, so Rick  
took me home, then decided to drive straight to the ranch." A.J. told him,  
concerned.  
  
"Was the road bad, A.J., maybe I ought to call Robbie...."? Oscar  
started, only for the younger Simon to interrupt him. "Rick's  
just come in, Oscar, let me find out."  
"Oscar, is Laurie all right?" Rick asked, picking up the extension.  
"Yes, son, now what happened; Laurie said you were going to call  
before you left the office?" Oscar reminded him.  
  
"We had a power outage, I should called her on my transmitter,  
but I thought I'd be able to make it home by now.", Rick told him.  
"After I dropped A.J. off, I started for the ranch, only some car  
nearly ran me off the road and it took me about 30 minutes to dig  
out. If Robbie hadn't come, I might still have been there."  
  
"Just as long as you're ok, Rick. Here's Laurie." Oscar squeezed  
her shoulder as he handed her the phone, she smiled with relief  
back at him.  
  
"Rick, darling, are you all right, I was worried when you didn't call  
and the answering machine was already on at the office!" she said.  
"I'm fine, sweetheart. I'm sorry, I should have called you on the  
transmitter, but I honestly didn't think I wouldn't be able to come  
home. If that town car hadn't nearly driven into me...." Laurie  
interrupted him. "Rick, did you say town car, was it a dark blue  
one with tinted windows?" Her uncle tensed next to her.  
  
"Yeah, I couldn't see the driver, but it was still light out, he  
had to have seen me on the curve. Wait a minute, how did you  
know what it looked like?" she heard an uneasy tone in his voice.  
  
"Rick, some guy from Linden House showed up at the gate this  
afternoon, just before Oscar and Rudy came home. He supposedly  
was trying to make peace or something, so they could release my  
next book. I told this Mr. Thomas that I'd never let them handle  
another book of mine again, and to please leave. Darling, he  
came in a dark blue town car, I think they must have tried to  
drive you off the road on purpose!" she exclaimed.


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter 2  
  
"I don't know, sweetheart, how would they know I was coming  
home, except, wait a minute, A.J., didn't we get a call at the office  
when we were leaving?"  
  
Rick looked at his brother, who was rocking Ceci in his arms as Linda set the table.  
  
"Yes, someone was asking if we were free for an emergency assignment  
tonight; I said we were closing for the day and the man said "thanks", then  
disconnected." A.J. replied. "Rick, ask A.J. what he sounded like." Laurie  
asked, then Rick answered her. "A deep voice, sounded like a politician."  
  
"That's Marcus Thomas, the guy who wanted to come in, Rick, they're  
trying to scare me into signing with them again, I bet!"   
  
She started to shake, as Rudy put an arm around her and sat her  
down. "I'm all right." she managed, as Rick said, "Sweetheart,  
I don't want you to worry. I'll call Robbie and have him patrol  
around tonight and tomorrow; it might just be coincidence,  
but this way I'll know you're safe."  
  
"Thank you, darling, it'll be okay. Oscar and Rudy are here, and if the  
weather's still bad I won't ride to the center. I'll miss you tonight though,  
give me a call when you're ready to hit the sack." she said,  
blushing when she caught a look from her uncle.  
  
"Yes, Laurie, I promise. Let me talk to Oscar, and I'll call later, ok?  
He grinned at the snicker from his brother, then hearing his friend on  
the line, told him "I don't like these strong-arm tactics this Linden  
House is using; can you call around and see who's running that publishing  
house now?"   
  
"Will do, son, I'll call you later when I have something, now give Linda  
and the kids a hug for us!" Oscar signed off, then seeing Laurie with  
a wistful look on her face, sat down next to her. "Come on, honey,  
he's all right. It might not have been on purpose, but we'll make sure  
nothing bad's going on." His niece smiled up at him, "I know, Oscar,  
don't mind me. Let's have dinner before Mike beats us to it." nodding  
at the golden retriever now perched on a living room chair, watching  
them with a hungry look.  
  
Laughing, the big man pulled a chair out for her then waited for Rudy  
to sit down before saying grace. As he finished, Mike barked and  
jumped out of his chair, leading Laurie to tease, "He just said "dig in"  
guys!"   
  
Following dinner, Oscar got on the phone to gather information on  
the people behind Linden House, while Laurie and Rudy did the dishes.  
  
Rudy balked in vain at Laurie going outside in the frosty air to feed the  
horses and close up the barn. He wasn't any happier when she came in  
shivering and sneezing. "All right, Missy, let me take your temperature,  
sniffles my foot!" he declared.  
  
Reluctantly Laurie allowed him to sit her down and stick an auto thermometer  
in her ear, which gave off a telltale beep. "That's what I thought, honey, you're got a fever. I'm going to pack you off to bed now, no buts!" the doctor held up his hand as she started to protest.  
  
"All right, Rudy, you're right. I do feel a little warm," she admitted, then  
seeing his surprise at her turnabout, grinned. "I'm not a masochist, I don't  
want to be sick for Thanksgiving next week! Let me call Rick and say good night, then I'll go to bed, promise!"  
  
"That's my girl." Rudy smiled, then started a pot of tea as Laurie went to see if Oscar was off the phone yet.  
  
Entering the living room, she saw her uncle was just ending a call.  
"Any luck?" Laurie hazarded, as he let out a deep sigh.   
  
"Yes, and no. Seems Mr. Thomas is for real, the offer to you is genuine  
and the Lincoln Town car was turned in with its snow chains damaged.  
However, Thomas and his assistant were booked to fly out of Phoenix  
tonight, and the flight was canceled. I 've got Gregson himself monitoring  
if they leave town or not." Oscar added, referring to the acting West Coast  
head of the OSI.  
  
"Thanks, Oscar, you don't know what a relief it is that you and Rudy are  
here!" Laurie told him, then she embraced him. "I love you, if I haven't  
told you that lately, I do! You're the best uncle ever!"  
  
Moved, Oscar kissed her forehead, then was surprised by the heat coming  
from her skin. "Honey, you're running a fever, I want you in bed right  
now. I'll bring you the extension once you're ready."  
  
"Yes, Oscar." she groaned, then headed down the hall.

Once his niece had said her good nights to Rick, Oscar picked up the  
main phone. "Rick, Laurie's running a fever, I won't let her go out  
tomorrow if she's not better."  
  
"I knew she had more then "the sniffles"! Oscar, what am I going to do  
with her, she's so stubborn!" The big man quietly laughed at his friend's  
exasperation. "Did she tell you her Grandmother Kasey appeared in the  
yard, and she stood out there and got chilled listening to her?"  
  
"She left out the chilled part, Rick, but I know she took to heart the  
"listening part". Son, she's always going to want to be independent, we've  
just got to remind her once in a while that she's got to take it easy when she's not feeling well." Oscar told him. Rick sighed, "I know, I just can't stop  
worrying though, I love her, Oscar. She's my life. That's why it bothers me about this sudden showing up at our home, then my being run off the road."   
  
"Well, everything I've found so far supports my theory that I don't  
think it was on purpose about you're going off the road. I just have  
the feeling that someone wants her signed awfully bad, and this Mr.  
Thomas may try to see her again. It's almost safer for her to be at  
the Cultural Center, with the Chief and I there we can control access  
to her." Oscar added.  
  
"Well, only if she's better in the morning. You and Rudy call me if  
she gets worse or if you need me. I'll take A.J. to work and make sure  
his car gets fixed, then I'll come home, the roads should be cleared by  
then." Rick yawned, bringing a laugh from the older man.  
  
"Go to bed, son, I'll call you if anything happens. Laurie'll be fine."  
  
" I'll try. A.J. and Linda send their best, Oscar, now you call if you need me!" Rick insisted, then yawned loudly again.  
  
"Good night already!" Oscar chuckled, then hung up the phone.   
  
Seeing Rudy already in his robe, he looked toward Laurie's door.   
"Is she?" The doctor nodded, "I sat with her until she nodded off.   
She was feeling a little better after she talked to Rick."  
  
Oscar snapped off the living room lights then checked  
the front door to make sure the alarm and deadbolt were on.  
  
"I'll take the first watch, Rudy, no need both of us to stay up."  
Oscar said, as his friend tried to stifle a yawn. "All right, pal,  
wake me at 4, I'll check our girl's temperature then." the exhausted  
doctor replied.   
  
Opening Laurie's door, her uncle saw her sleeping quietly, so he  
started to close the door part way. Abruptly he heard his niece  
moan, then start to call out in her sleep, "No, don't take me from  
him, please!"  
  
Going to her side, Oscar sat next to her, then took her hand and  
whispered, "It's all right, you're safe, baby. No one's going to hurt you  
or Rick."  
  
Almost immediately Laurie calmed down, then she smiled and turned  
in her sleep. Touched, her uncle leaned over and kissed her cheek.  
Realizing her fever was down, he felt secure enough to leave her  
with the door partially open.  
  
Making himself comfortable on the living room couch, Oscar opened  
a file from his briefcase, then gazed over at his niece's room.  
  
"I have to tell you about your aunt sometime, Laurie, it might as well  
be tomorrow." he thought.


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter 3  
  
"Morning, Oscar. How's my girl this morning?" Rick winked at his  
sister-in-law as Linda went past him, Ricky trailing behind her with  
his blanky.  
  
"She's much better this morning, son. As a matter of fact she's polishing off  
some toast and bacon, but first she wants to say good morning to you."  
Oscar smiled at his niece as she teased "please let me talk to him!"  
  
"I hear my sweetheart, you'd better let her have her way, Oscar!" Rick answered,  
relieved. He gulped some coffee, then heard his wife, "Rick, darling, good morning!"  
  
"Good morning, Laurie, I miss my girl, how do you feel?" he said. "Good, Rick,  
I don't have any chills or congestion. I'm going to finish breakfast then check in to  
see if the eighth graders and high school class are coming today. If not I'll just stay home."  
  
Rick frowned, he still didn't like the idea of her riding over to the Center. "Darlin'  
I wish you wouldn't ride over to teach, couldn't you have Rudy or Oscar  
drop you, then maybe the Chief could drive you home."  
  
There was silence, then she told him "All right, my love, I'll ask Oscar to drop me,  
oh, God I miss you, darling. Maybe you could come home and pick me up, we  
could have lunch together!"  
  
He could have kissed her through the phone, "That's a good idea, sweetheart. I  
miss you too! Call me when you're done teaching and I'll meet you in the lobby.  
Now let me talk to Oscar, angel."  
  
"All right, I love you, Rick, you always make me feel better!" she said, then  
handed the phone to her uncle. Watching her as she finished her breakfast,  
Oscar turned and asked "Are you going to be able to pick her up if I take her  
with me to the Center?"  
  
"Yes, A.J. and I already discussed it, I'll leave at lunch time and he can wrap up any  
paperwork we have left. You're right about whatever her Grandmother told her,  
now I won't worry about her being out in the cold air!" Rick said, relieved.

Seeing that Laurie had gone into the kitchen, Oscar told her husband, "I was  
worried about her last night, son. She was having a bad dream about being  
taken away from you. I managed to reassure her and she went back to sleep,  
but I'd make sure she takes it easy today, Rick."  
  
"Thank you, Oscar, I don't know what I'd do without you and Rudy watching over  
us the way you do. I'm going to run A.J. to work now, so I'll see you guys later."  
he replied gratefully.  
"Rick, we're family, we'll always be there. Now, I'll make sure Laurie waits  
inside for you." Oscar told him, clearing his throat.  
  
A half-hour later, Laurie waved Rudy off to town, as she and Oscar climbed into his jeep and  
headed to the Navajo Cultural Center. As Oscar tried to start his jeep, an ominous click-click  
signaled that his battery was dead. Frustrated, he got back out and lifting the hood, discovered  
a short in a wire had drained his battery.  
  
"Oh, no way! Oscar, let me try to jump you from the jeep battery!" Laurie stepped out of the  
vehicle, then brought out her jumper cables and tried unsuccessfully to start his car.  
  
"No use, honey, I guess I'll have to call Robbie and see if he can come and give us a ride.",  
he groused. Laurie grinned at her uncle. "It's a good thing your nephew the sheriff learned how  
to fix wires and stuff, let me run in and catch him before he leaves the station."  
  
Dashing into the house, she dialed the sheriffs station. After 3 rings, an out of breath Robbie  
replied, "Mom, you just caught me, are you all right?"  
  
"Yes, darling, I'm sorry to get you out of breath. Are you on a call?" Laurie asked, concerned.  
"Yes, and I need Uncle Oscar. Can I come pick him up?" Robbie said hopefully.  
  
"Just a minute?" "Oscar?" She stuck her head out of the house and got her uncle's attention.  
"What is it, honey, is it Robbie?" he dropped the rag he was using and came up the steps.  
  
"Robbie's on a call, and he wants to know if you can go with him, he needs you." she explained,  
handing him the phone.  
  
Taking the cordless, she watched her uncle as he asked some questions of her son, then animatedly gave some instructions. "I'll never get used to having him here for us."she realized gratefully.  
  
Watching him end the call, he put the receiver back in its charger, then gently took her arm and  
sitting on the sofa, told her, "Robbie's got a lead on a local robbery ring, only Rob is in court  
on another case and since he has no back up, I'm going to help him. He'll be okay, honey,  
we'll have reinforcements once we get to Window Rock."  
  
"Oh, thank God, Oscar. I don't worry about Robbie when one of you guys are with him. I'll just saddle up Brick and go over to the Center. I can leave him there when Rick picks me up." Laurie assured him.  
  
Glancing up at the clouds, Oscar thought about it for a moment, then nodded. "All right, honey, just stay on the road and call me on your transmitter when you get there, understand?"  
  
"Yes, Uncle!", she smiled, then hurried to the barn.  
  
As she led Brick out of the yard a few minutes later, he was glad he had refrained from reminding her to dress warmer. Clad in a heavy coat and hat, she came over to him and he gave her a boost up into the saddle. "Be careful, Oscar." she cautioned, then grinned as he pretended to swat at her. "I'll call you." she promised, then galloped out the gate and down the road, turning and waving as she went to turn onto the main reservation highway.  
  
After arriving at the Cultural Center, Laurie called in to Oscar's transmitter, and found that  
he and Robbie were waiting for their reinforcements. Finding that her students were still  
arriving, she decided to let Rick know she had arrived and called him at the office.  
  
Rick was sourly closing out a file when the phone rang. He was angry at a client skipping out  
on a retainer, so he picked up the phone on the first ring and barked "Simon and Simon Investigations".  
  
"Rick, darling, what's wrong, are you all right?" He could hear worry in her voice, and his anger deflated for a moment. "Yes, Laurie, just having a bad morning.", he sighed.  
  
"My poor Rick, I wish I was there, I'd make you feel better." she soothed, then noticed the door to her room was open. "I just wanted to let you know I had to ride to class, Oscar's car wouldn't start and Robbie needed him for back up."  
  
Rick saw red, didn't she promise she would get a ride to her students!  
"Laurie, what were you thinking, you were sick last night, you rode in the cold weather and now go into a hot room, you're going to get pneumonia!"  
  
"Rick, please don't worry, I feel fine! I didn't want to miss my class and I had no other way of coming. Please don't be upset, I'll leave Brick here for the night and ride him home tomorrow." she said.  
  
Her husband only got madder as he realized he was supposed to meet her for lunch, A.J. had gotten stuck at the car repair place and he had been so upset at the unpaid retainer he'd forgotten their date.  
  
"Well, you're going to have to stay there until later this afternoon. I won't be meeting you for lunch after all, A.J.'s not here yet and we'll be too busy to break for lunch." he replied coldly.  
  
Laurie paled as she heard how angry he was; she knew he took her word seriously and she remembered how upset he'd been when she was forced to go back on her promise once before. "Darling, I'm sorry. I didn't intend to break my word before and I'm not happy about it now. Can we talk about this when we get home, please?"  
  
"Yeah, yeah. We'll discuss this later. You go to your students so I can go back to work." he said.  
  
Eyeing the open door, she took a deep breath, trying not to cry. "I love you, Rick. Maybe it's not enough to make you understand I didn't do this on purpose, but I'll never do anything to go against your wishes. I'm going to class now, please be careful and I'll see you at home."  
  
Hearing nothing, a sob came out of her mouth as she thought he had hung up on her. She started to replace the receiver when she heard his voice. "Laurie?" "Rick, I thought you hung up on me." she whispered. "Laurie, come on, don't cry." he said fumbling for words."  
  
Upset, she hung up the phone and wiped her eyes, then went to her classroom, not seeing the startled face of the Chief in the entrance.  
  
After an hour, Rick sat moping, staring at a file while his brother spoke to a client on the phone. He was an idiot, he'd decided.  
  
He'd taken out his anger on the love of his life, he'd covered his worry for her with lecturing her and then when he heard a sob from her, he'd fumbled his words and she'd hung up.  
  
Worse yet, five minutes after he'd spoken with her, A.J. walked in, saying, "I'm sorry, Rick, I forgot to give you this money order, Berg did pay our retainer after all."  
  
Maybe he should call her, on one hand she had risked her health and gone against her word to ride to class, but she had said she was sorry. Deciding to make things right, he hit the return dial button, then when the receptionist answered, asked to speak to Mrs. Simon.  
  
"One moment sir, I'll see if she's still in class." a student replied.  
  
Rick waited impatiently, then heard his wife's voice, out of breath. "Hello, Rick!"  
  
"Laurie, it's ok, I know you didn't mean to break your word. I just want you to be safe." he said, not realizing how upset she had been with him. "Rick, I know you didn't mean it, but you hurt me, and you completely ignored how I felt, even telling me not to cry!" she replied, irritated at his lack of apology.  
  
"Darlin' I didn't mean it the way it sounded, oh, forget it, we'll talk about it at home, when we both cool down." he answered huffily.  
  
Suddenly Laurie realized how petty she sounded. "Rick, please, I'm..." Too late, she heard a dial tone. When was she going to learn?, she thought despairingly.   
  
After the last 2 classes, Laurie decided not to work on her new book, but go home while it was still early. As she walked out to the stable, she shivered in the biting cold, then heard the Chief  
call, "Light!"  
  
Turning she saw him walking stiffly toward her. "Chief, I'm glad to see you, it looks like it's  
going to snow." "It is going to snow, I thought Rick was going to meet you here?" he lifted  
an eyebrow and she laughed in spite of herself.  
  
"We were, but he's stuck at work, and besides, he's mad at me right now. He thinks I broke  
my word to not ride today because I was sick last night." she explained in a rush.

"He only gets mad at you, my child, because he worries. Of course he doesn't know what I  
know; that you only go against his wishes when it can't be helped." the Chief said dryly.  
"Yes, I was going to have Oscar drop me, but he couldn't start his car, then Robbie needed him  
for back up and I'd already cancelled yesterday, I couldn't leave everyone in the lurch!"  
she told him emotionally.  
  
Shaking his head, the elder smiled at Laurie. "And Rick was not moved by this, he was  
still angry?" "He was having a bad day, Chief, I told him why Oscar couldn't take me, he was  
mad and then when I thought he'd hung up he said my name, he heard me crying and then  
he told me not to cry. I hung up on him, then when he called to kind of apologize, I got mad at him, I shouldn't have." she hung her head.  
  
"I'm sorry, Light, it sounds like more then one of you are having a bad day. It'll be all right once you sit down together and talk, face to face." Chief Joseph gave her a hug, and it was all she could do not to break down.  
  
"Thank you, Chief, I'm fine. I'll go home and wait for him, he was having a tough time!"  
she replied, determinedly. "I'll be back to work on my book tomorrow. Will you be here?"  
"Yes, Light, now go home, it'll be better when he comes home." he assured her.

Feeling calmer, she hugged him back, then went to the stable and led Brick out to the driveway.   
As she mounted her horse, she saw that snow had begun to fall, and she nudged her  
horse on to the road.   
  
As she went past the hospital, a car pulled out of the lobby driveway, then swerved in front  
of her. Startled, she reined in Brick, then grew angry as the passenger window slid down  
and she saw the face of Marcus Thomas, the Linden House representative.  
  
"Mr. Thomas, I thought I made myself clear, I am not interested in your offer, I refuse to  
let Linden House handle anymore of my books. Now I think you'd better go." she  
insisted.  
  
As Laurie made to ride past the car, the dark-haired man got out of the car and laid a hand  
on her saddle.  
  
"No, I think you'd better listen, I don't take no for an answer, Mrs.  
Simon. If I have to, I'll hold you incommunicado until you change your mind!"  
  
"No!" she screamed, pulling away from him and urging Brick forward. As she started to ride  
away, the car sounded behind them, and the horse panicked. Stumbling and picking up speed, Brick slipped and slid over the rocky shoulder of the drive leading away from the small open area that was all that was left of Lost Valley. Unable to regain control of her horse, Laurie saw a gap in the shoulder too late, and jumped from the saddle before Brick could ride into it.  
  
"Go for home!" she told Brick, then let out a scream as she felt herself slipping over the edge and  
sliding down the steep slope. Above, Laurie saw nothing but white as the snow came down harder and harder, and the dirt turned icy, giving her nothing to grab onto. As she slid helplessly down, she tried to stop the momentum by digging in her heels, only to catch the heel of her boot, causing her to roll over and over until she hit the bottom of the slope. Breathless, she lay on the snow, unable to move. It was so quiet, she thought any minute now she'd wake up and be in her own bed, but the icy wet snow started to soak through her jacket, and summoning her strength, she managed to struggle to her knees, then look upwards. Only being able to see a few feet above her, she looked around her, then saw she was near the secret passage back up to the highway. Pulling herself to her feet, she tried standing, then gasped with pain, realizing she'd hurt her right ankle.   
  
Laurie slid back down to a sitting position, "I have to get out of here, no one except for Thomas and his men know I fell, and they won't get me help!" she thought. Deciding she'd have to crawl to the surface, she brushed aside the foliage, and entered the passageway, only to see it was blocked with boulders. At least she was out of the storm, and examining the small cave with the light from her watch, she thought it looked safe.  
  
In her dazed condition she tried to make herself comfortable, then lay down. "I'll try to crawl  
up the slope later, after I rest.", she thought. Closing her eyes, she started to drift off, then remembered with a start, "my watch, I can call Rick and Oscar on my watch!" She turned it on, then set the dial to transmit. "Rick, Oscar, can you hear me?"  
  
Nothing; no response, just static. " Must be too much metal in the area, I'll have to get into the open once the storm lets up." she decided. She called out mentally to her husband. "Rick!"  
  
Nothing. Laying down, she closed her eyes, praying "Please let Rick find me. I should have waited for him. I love him, I don't want to go like this." Suddenly she realized the cold was making her sleepy, that if she fell asleep she might succumb to exposure. Laurie tried sitting up, only to find the same lethargic feeling stealing over her. She slid down against the cold ground, and started to nod off.  
  
"No, child, wake up, try Richard again.!" A voice sounded close to her, so familiar.  
  
Startled, she opened her eyes, but no one was there. Deciding to call again, she hit the send button but heard a noise, so she turned the transmitter to receive.


	4. Chapter 4

Chapter 4  
  
"All right I blew it, now what!" Rick fumed at himself, what a klutz. After 3 hours, he still couldn't believe he'd messed up an apology, let along remember the number of the class center.  
  
Now his brother wasn't even talking to him. Maybe it wasn't too late to make it right. "I need to call her, make sure she's going to wait for me." he figured.  
  
"A..J., do you have the number of the Cultural Center?" he asked, then seeing his brother smile, realized his brother had been waiting for him to talk to his wife. "About time you apologized to her, here's the card!" he grinned.  
  
Ten minutes later he was beyond panic. Chief Joseph had come on when he called the reception center, and the first thing he said was "Light's in danger, about an hour ago someone saw a car chasing her and Brick, then she vanished. I just called the ranch, and Rudy's there, Brick came back without her."  
  
"Oh, God, no Chief! I thought ...": Rick moaned. "Let me put on my transmitter, I should be able to find her with it!"  
  
Setting it to send, he called, "Laurie, sweetheart, it's Rick, answer me, darlin'!"  
  
Abruptly he heard her responding faintly. "Rick? Darling, I'm trapped, I can't walk, please  
find me!"  
  
"Sweetheart, I'm here, I won't let go, where are you?" he talked back to her.  
  
Silence.  
  
"Laurie, please, answer me, where are you?" he yelled into his transmitter.  
  
He listened to the static, then clearly picked up her sniffing. It tore into him, she was  
crying and he couldn't comfort her. "My angel, I'm sorry, I'll find you, please hold on!"  
he called to her.  
  
Rick thought she wasn't receiving him, then he heard his wife's voice, faint but clear.  
"Rick, I love you, I'm sorry too. I'm in the passageway, near....." static suddenly  
took over.  
  
"Laurie, Laurie!" He couldn't hide the panic in his voice, A.J. was at his shoulder, listening  
as well. "Rick, she said she's in the passageway, near what?"  
  
"I don't know, we've got to find her, she's hurt, A.J. she said she's trapped and she can't walk!"  
Rick rubbed his neck, then remembered something.  
  
"What was that Robbie said, Grandmother Kasey told her to remember the wild turkey story?",  
A.J. tried to think, then he said, "I've got it, she's near Lost Valley, I'm almost sure of it!  
  
Grabbing his jacket, Rick started out the door, then heard the phone ring. "I'll get it, Rick, hold  
up!" his brother stopped him, then answered "Simon and Simon Investigations".  
  
"A.J., is Rick still there, it's Oscar. What's this about Laurie missing?"  
  
"We think we know where she is, Oscar, here's Rick." A.J. handed the  
extension to his brother, who took it and said, "Oscar, where are you?"  
  
"I'm on my way back to the ranch, Rudy just got a hold of me, what happened?  
I thought you were picking her up? Where is she?" Rick could hear the anxiety in the older man's voice.   
  
"I got stuck here at work, I thought Laurie was going to wait for me though, and well, we had crossed signals. Laurie's somewhere near Lost Valley, we think. The Chief called, she was riding Brick home and a car came after her.   
  
She somehow was thrown or gotten off her horse and vanished. The car took  
off and she's somewhere out in the snow. I got a hold of her briefly on my  
transmitter, she says she's trapped and can't walk. She started to tell  
me she's in a passageway near someplace, but we got static since."  
  
"The snow's starting to let up, but it's getting dark, we've got to hurry.  
I'll head toward the Cultural Center and try to set up a search from  
there. Keep trying to reach her, I'll try all frequencies too." Rick knew  
Oscar was trying to keep calm, but with the snow and her having been  
sick.. oh God, please! "I'll keep in touch, we'll head straight there, Oscar.  
As soon as I make contact, I'll call you."  
  
Ending the call, he slammed the phone down, then grabbed his jacket again.  
"A.J., why do I do this, just when I think I've got my temper under control...  
I've never done anything stupid like this before!"   
  
"Come on, Rick, don't beat yourself up like this!", his brother tried to mollify  
him as they raced down the stairs and out into the late afternoon dusk.  
  
Treading rapidly across the parking lot, now covered with salt, Rick made for  
his truck. Just as he went to climb in, he saw A.J. head for the passenger  
door. "I'm going with you, Rick, I don't trust my car on those roads, and  
I can talk on the transmitter while you drive."  
  
As they headed toward Silver Rock, A.J. kept listening for Laurie, then  
saw the coordinates finally settle in one spot. "Rick, call Oscar, see if  
he's at the Center yet."   
  
Calling on the spare transmitter, Rick talked to the older man just as he reached  
the Chief's office. "Oscar, I think there's too much metal in the area where Laurie  
is, but the coordinates of her watch are finally giving a steady reading." Telling him the digital readout, Rick heard the tribal elder in the background plotting his wife's location.   
  
Finally he heard the Chief's voice relaying to Oscar where she might be, then  
Oscar came on. "Son, we think she's down in the gully, about a half mile from  
the hospital, just near the turn. It's so dark, we might have to wait until daylight  
to go down and look for her!"  
  
"No, Oscar, I have a feeling I can get down to her. Remember what her grandmother  
said, about the wild turkey story? I think she's taken cover in the hidden passageway.  
I'll meet you and the Chief where the fencing ends. We should be there in about  
10 minutes." Rick told him. As they went past the ranch driveway, A.J. noticed  
a car waiting to come out onto the road and recognized it as Robbie's patrol car.  
  
"Don't look now, Rick, but your son's right behind us!" he told his brother,  
bringing a reluctant smile to his face.  
  
Just then Robbie's voice came over the receiver. "Pop, I've been monitoring  
your frequency, I'm right behind you. Rudy's waiting at home with Robin, if we need him, he'll meet us at the hospital."  
  
"Thanks, son! Stay in my tracks if you can, the ice is bad on the shoulder side!"  
Rick warned Robbie. As they got closer to the turn towards the cultural center,  
the snow began to lessen, but the sky darkened and worse, the wind picked up.  
  
Suddenly some debris appeared in the roadway, and it took all Rick's driving  
skills to dodge the stuff. Following his father's lead, Robbie managed to avoid  
the same hazard, then Rick pulled over to the area where he believed Laurie had  
fallen. As he turned off the motor, he saw Oscar and the Chief approaching, along  
with Sheriff Rob and Doc. Climbing out, he greeted the men, then pointed to a gap  
on the shoulder of the road. "I think that's where Laurie fell, let me try to reach her and  
see if that's where she is." he yelled above the howling wind.  
  
Turning his transmitter to send, he called "Laurie, sweetheart can you hear me?"  
  
Abruptly, through a burst of static, her voice came over clearly. "Rick, darling, I'm here,  
I heard Oscar, where are you?" Oscar answered over his transmitter, "Honey, we're at the  
top of the gully next to the hospital. Where are you?"  
  
There was silence, then her tearful voice, "I'm in the secret passageway that used to lead  
out of the valley. It's all blocked by boulders, I can't climb back up, I hurt my ankle when  
I fell. Don't try to come down the slope, guys, it's too slippery and icy!"  
  
"Darlin', it's all right, I'm coming down to get you with a rope, just stay put!" He looked up to see Oscar and the Chief shaking their heads. "Rick, the visibility is close to none right now, you can't see once you get down there, and if it starts snowing again..."  
  
"I'm not leaving her down there by herself, guys, now get me a rope." Rick told them stubbornly.  
"Rob, do you have your headlights in the trunk?"  
  
The sheriff smiled, "sure do, Rick. They should do the trick, let me get them and we'll attach the  
rope to the patrol car. Come on, Robbie, you can help me set them up."  
  
Once the men had everything set up, Rob and the Chief tied the rope to Rick, then Doc gave him a thermos of warm tea to take with him. "She's been without fluids for hours, get some into her if you can."  
  
As he got ready to go down the slope, Laurie called them, a frightened tone in her voice. "Rick, the tunnel above is starting to crumble, don't come, the whole hillside is starting to give way!"  
  
"Sweetheart, I'll be right down, stay under cover, I'll be right there." he replied. Playing out the rope, he started down the slope, and immediately saw what his wife had warned him about.

Slipping and sliding, he rapidly went down the hill until he suddenly saw the snow- covered rocks below him.   
  
Landing on his feet, he looked around in the dim light that the searchlight cast, then called,  
"Laurie!" "Rick!", he heard Laurie's voice, then saw her peeking out of a small opening that was  
covered by foliage. Dropping to his knees, he crawled toward her, then heard an ominous rumble.  
  
Reaching for her, he grasped her arms and pulled her out of the hollow, just as a rain of rocks and dirt threatened to bury her. Safely out of the way, she buried her face in his chest and wept as he held her in his arms. "Sweetheart, it's okay, I'm here, I won't leave you!" he comforted her, then raising her face, saw the bruises and cuts on her tear-streaked cheeks. "My brave girl, I'm sorry, I'll never leave you upset like that again, I promise!" he choked, softly kissing her face.  
  
"It's all right, I love you, darling, you came, you always do. I'm sorry, shouldn't have hung up on you!" she sniffed to him, then rested her head against his shoulder as he gently picked her up and carried her toward the slope.   
  
"I've got her, we're both coming up!" Rick yelled through the wind, which had started to pick up.  
"Laurie, put your arms around my neck, I'm going to tie the rope around us both." he explained.  
  
Rick buttoned his coat around her as Laurie clung to him, then started to climb up the slope.  
As Rob and Robbie pulled them up, the footing became more treacherous, and the Chief backed the truck slowly toward the road.  
  
Finally the two Simons felt the ground solidly beneath their feet, and untying the rope from around them, Oscar grasped his niece around the waist and hoisted her into his arms. "Baby, thank God, oh thank God!" he said, kissing her forehead, then helping Doc wrap a blanket around her.   
  
"I'm all right, I hurt my ankle, I just want to get warm!" she told him, trying to smile at him, then  
seeing the others, greeted them as they hugged her then Rick.  
  
Carrying her the short distance to the hospital entrance, Rick took her inside as Doc went and fetched a wheelchair. While they waited, Rick poured a cup of the tea Doc had prepared and had his wife sip it slowly.   
  
"Thank you, darling.", she smiled at him as she blinked in the bright hospital lights. "I was so  
thirsty, but I remembered how snow makes you colder, besides it hurt to move around in there."  
  
"That was smart, Mom, remembering what the Chief taught us." Robbie said, then laughed  
as she shook her head and said "No, Robbie, your father told me that, he learned it from his dad."  
  
She gazed up at Rick as he grinned at her, "Funny that you remembered that, I only thought of it  
because we'd been making jokes about yellow snow!" As the others laughed, Doc came back,  
"I've got a treatment room ready, Light, I want to take a look at that ankle."

As he started to wheel her away, Laurie suddenly remembered something. "Rick, Oscar, I almost forgot, that Thomas, he's the one who nearly ran Brick and I off the road, I had to jump to get off Brick so he wouldn't tumble into the gully. He was waiting by the hospital, then he blocked my way with his car and he got out and grabbed my saddle. I managed to jerk away from him so I could ride away, only that's when he came from behind and startled Brick!"  
  
"Sweetheart, you mean he watched you fall then he left you to...?" Rick said angrily, then he glanced at Oscar and Rob as they turned beet red. Laurie saw their reactions, then tried to calm them down.  
  
"Please, guys, Rick, don't go after them, please!" Robbie swallowed hard but  
stayed focused as he said, "Mom, I'll call in an APB, they're bound to still be in the area because  
of the storm, I'll call Captain Ron, he'll locate them.!"  
  
Letting out a deep breath, Rick managed a smile at his son as he stood up and took Laurie's hand. "I won't leave you, angel, I learned my lesson about my temper today! I'll let your uncle  
go after the bastard!" he added, looking meaningfully at the big man.  
  
Catching his drift, Oscar nodded, then putting an arm around his niece, told her "We'll make sure  
he doesn't get away, honey. Now you go with Doc and have him take care of you. I'll be back."  
  
Knowing he would go whether or not she wanted him to, Laurie gave him a kiss, then whispered, "Please be careful!" Rick wheeled her away as Rob and Robbie left A.J. to wait while they conferred with Oscar.  
  
Once she was comfortable, Rick sat with his wife as Doc examined her ankle and checked a small bump on her head. "I'll look at your x-rays, Light, then I'll be back." he promised.  
  
When he left the room, Laurie moved over for Rick to sit next to her so he could hold her. "Is  
this better, sweetheart?" he asked, gently cuddling her against him. "Yes, darling." she smiled,  
then kissed him.   
  
"I'm sorry, my love" she continued, taking his hand in hers. "I should never have ridden in to class, it was so cold and I just never got warm." "I know, you were thinking of your students instead, and I should have listened to you, Laurie. I'm sorry, too, I would never had let you leave without me if I'd thought about it. I let my pride get in the way. Never again, precious."   
  
He kissed her hand, then all the bruises and cuts on her face. "Hmm , that's what I call kissing and making it better, especially" she sighed, "when you say such beautiful things!" Resting her face against his shoulder, she closed her eyes.  
  
When Doc came back in with her test results, he found her asleep in her husband's arms. Relieved, he quietly came to Rick and showed him that her ankle was badly sprained but that she had no concussion. "Tomorrow she can go home, but I want her to take it easy until after Thanksgiving, Rick. If she wakes up during the night, she can have a little broth."  
  
"Thanks Doc, I think she'll sleep straight through, my poor girl's exhausted." he whispered.  
  
Accepting an extra pillow and blanket, he slid down with Laurie and closed his eyes.  
Just as he started to doze off, he heard a sleepy voice, "Rick?" Opening his eyes, he looked down at his wife and saw her looking up at him, a puzzled look on her face. "What is it, sweetheart?"  
  
"I remember something, I started to fall asleep in the cave, it was so cold and I was afraid, then  
I heard a voice, I heard someone say not to go to sleep, to call you." Laurie snuggled up to  
him. Rick took a deep breath, she could have died of exposure if she had succumbed to the  
cold. "Darlin', thank God you listened to that voice, I'd have lost you...." he gulped then  
pulled her closer to him. "Rick, I think, I think it might have been Grandmother, she said "child",  
and she's the only one who calls you Richard." Laurie looked up to see tears in his eyes.  
"Oh, darling, no, don't cry, I'd didn't mean to upset you, please!", she put her face next to his.  
  
"I love you, Laurie. We shouldn't ever part like that again!" he whispered, placing butterfly kisses on her face. "I promise, no more riding by myself, either, I don't enjoy it all alone  
anymore. You've spoiled me, darling, I only want to ride with you!" she sighed, then sealed  
her vow with a kiss. Together, they dozed off, bringing a smile to Robbie as he came to  
check on them early in the morning.  
  
"Thanks for standing watch, Uncle A.J., I was worried about that Thomas coming back here if he realized Mom survived the fall. I'm glad Captain Ron backed Uncle Oscar up, otherwise that creep would be dead!" he spoke softly as the two stood in the doorway of the treatment room.  
  
"I wouldn't be anywhere else, Robbie, I knew Oscar would come through. You must be tired,  
though, why don't you sack out on the chair and I'll let you know when the storm clears enough  
to go home." his uncle offered.  
  
"Thanks, I think I will." Robbie accepted gratefully, grabbing an extra blanket and settling in a chair near his parents. " I'm just glad Uncle Rudy stayed over Robin; they want a call first thing in the morning on how Mom and Pop are. 'Night, Uncle A.J.!"  
  
"'Night, son." A.J. replied, suddenly feeling a lump in his throat at the sight of his nephew, so grown up, now curled up watching over his folks.


	5. Chapter 5

Chapter 5  
  
"Mike, did you dad tell you to fetch my cane?" Laurie looked at the golden retriever in amazement, as the dog thumped his tail then dropped her walking stick at her feet.  
  
"Did he do it, good dog!" Rick's voice came down the hall. "Yes, you are a good dog, looking after me, Mikey!" she choked up, patting the bed next to her then hugging him when he jumped up.  
  
"Do I get one of those too?" Rick teased, walking into the bedroom. As Laurie turned toward him, she simply held her arms up and he lifted her into his embrace.  
  
"I love you, Rick, oh, I love you." she said, then met his lips with hers in a lingering kiss.  
"My sweetheart" he murmured as they came up for air, 'Maybe I ought to stay home to teach  
Mikey some more tricks to make you happy!"  
  
"Oh, darling, you staying home alone would make me happy!" she teased. Picking up her cane,  
she allowed Rick to help her down the hall into the living room, as he shook his head.  
  
"I wish, Laurie, but if we're going to be closed tomorrow as well as Friday, A.J. and I have to  
turn in a couple of reports." "I know, bless you both!" she told him. "You two work so hard, don't think I and Linda don't appreciate it!"  
  
As Rick was ready to step out the door, a familiar jeep honked, and the two Simons  
grinned to see Oscar at the gate. Hitting the buzzer, Rick went down the steps as  
Oscar drove in, then got out to greet his friend.   
  
"Morning, Rick, I hoped I'd catch you before you left for work." the big man said,  
smiling at his niece in the doorway. "I thought you were a little early, what's up?"  
Rick asked, seeing a serious look in his friend's eye.  
  
"I've never been free to tell Laurie the identity of her aunt, but now, well, I think she  
deserves to know who the rest of her family is." Oscar told him. "I wanted you to  
be here too, it's bound to open up some of Laurie's past that she may or may not have  
told you about."  
  
"I always wondered, well, when you were going to tell her, but I figured..." Rick  
trailed off, as Oscar filled in, "I didn't have permission, you're right. Now, it doesn't  
matter."   
  
Walking back up the steps behind her uncle, Rick winked at his wife as she hugged  
him. "You're early, I was going to make you some biscuits and bacon!"  
"I'll take a cup of coffee, more important I need to talk to you about something,  
honey." Oscar explained. Realizing this was serious, Laurie went to get a couple  
of cups, as Rick picked up the phone and called A.J. to let him know he was  
going to be a little late.  
  
"Take your time, Rick, I just got a call that the power's out at the office,  
they're not letting anyone in until 10 am." A.J. told him, to his brothers'  
relief. "Ok, you have fun with the kids, I'll see you when you get there."  
  
As Laurie settled on the sofa, she gave Rick a questioning look as he sat down  
next to her and put an arm around her.  
  
"Oscar, is something wrong, you're not in trouble because you were involved with Thomas's arrest, are you?" she worried, then sighed when he shook his head at her.  
  
"No, no, honey, not that kind of serious. It's, well, do you remember when I told  
you who your Grandfather was. I mentioned your Grandmother's name was Margaret,  
but what I didn't tell you was her name. I'd spoken with her attorney some time before,  
but her family, well, they were against her identity being disclosed." Oscar reached out  
and took her hand.  
  
"I never understood their attitude myself ,but you knew them more then I did. Now, well,  
what they want doesn't matter." he continued. Taking a deep breath, Laurie replied,  
"Oscar, you say I knew my aunt's family, you're not saying, um, Elizabeth, Mrs. Collins, is my Great-Aunt, and Roger's my Great-Uncle?"  
  
"Yes, honey, Elizabeth and Roger Collins were brother and sister to Margaret Anne Collins;  
she was their older sister. She gave your father up for adoption, then went back to Maine.  
Your Aunt Elizabeth only found out about you after her sister had died. When you and  
Steve went to Maine to search for that missing scientist, I heard from her through her attorney.  
She wanted to meet you, and after you left, your aunt told me that you were very much like her  
sister and she wanted to make sure you were taken care of." Tears came to Oscar 's eyes as  
he added, "I've always tried to make sure you were safe, Steve used to get angry with me  
when he thought I was risking your life for assignments, but I never let you do anything  
I didn't think you could handle."  
  
"Oh, Oscar, you've always been there, I know." Laurie put her arms around him and  
hugged him, tears on her cheeks. "You never let me feel that I was alone. You and Rudy  
always made sure I wasn't by myself during the holidays, and when I remembered about my  
father's death, you helped me find the truth!"  
  
Rick handed both Oscar and Laurie a kleenex, bringing a smile to her uncle's face as  
his niece blew her nose noisily. "I see what you mean, Rick, when you tease her!"  
"Very funny!" she sniffed, then giggled as Rick made a honking noise.   
  
Once she had wiped her eyes, Laurie looked at Oscar, then asked in a quiet voice,  
"You said it didn't matter now what Aunt Elizabeth's family wanted, I take it  
you mean David and Carolyn and Roger."  
  
"No, baby, your Uncle Roger's very ill now, but he always wanted you to know.   
Your cousins had some problems I guess with the idea of you being a Collins. Not because  
of you, so to speak, but of the affection your Aunt had for you. At least that's what  
the attorney thought." Oscar sighed, then taking Laurie's hand again, said "Your  
Aunt died three months ago, I got a letter last week from her attorney, along with  
a letter from your Aunt. She loved you, Laurie, I know she stopped writing some years  
ago, but she was so happy when I wrote and told her you were married."  
  
Laurie bowed her head and wept as Oscar went on, " She wanted to make sure you  
were remembered in her will, but I guess that was a sore spot for your cousins, so  
she authorized an amount to be placed in trust for you several years ago. Also,  
Dr. Hoffman, I mean, Dr. Collins left something for you as well."  
  
"I knew she'd died, but I never knew she, oh Rick, I wish you'd known her, well,  
both Julia and Aunt Elizabeth." Laurie turned to him and he put his arm around her  
shoulders, then gently stroked her face.   
  
Comforted, she told him "I know I told you about her, but, she really treated me like  
family when I would visit. The last time I heard from Aunt Elizabeth was when I told her  
we'd found each other, then she got sick and she stopped writing. I never knew why, but  
now I can guess."  
  
"I wish I knew why, I never met your cousins, honey, but to shut you out like that all these  
years, well, I give up." Oscar shook his head, then pulled out two letters, both addressed  
to Laurie . "As for Barnabas..." he frowned. "He contacted me last year when you were  
attacked by Willowby's people. He was very concerned, offered to help find you."  
  
"Who's Barnabas? Is he one of your cousins?" Rick asked, taken aback at the startled  
look on his wife's face. "Well, I guess he is, Barnabas Collins is, you could say,  
the head of the family now!" Laurie replied, glancing at her uncle's stern look.  
"Well, you're right, honey. He's been helping run the Collins firm since your uncle's been  
ill, according to the letter I received. He authorized the attorney to inform me of your  
aunt's passing, since your cousins didn't." Oscar was silent for a moment, then Rick  
cleared his throat. "Thank you, Oscar for handling all this. I understand now what  
Steve once told me, that a lot of Laurie's work was dangerous, but that someone always  
watched over her."   
  
"And I always will, pal." he smiled at the two Simons. "Now, I've unloaded a lot on  
you two, so I think I'll take Mike for a walk while you talk. I'll be back before you go to  
the office, Rick."  
  
As he stood up, he handed the envelopes to Laurie, then she came to her feet and again  
embraced Oscar, saying "I love you, thank you for being there." Giving her a kiss,  
he took Mike's leash and whistled for him, bringing the spirited dog running for the door.  
Laughing at the two, Rick looked down to see a worried looking Laurie sitting, staring  
at the envelopes in her hand. "Darlin', what is it?" She looked up at him.  
  
"Rick, I'm sorry, I love you so much and I tried to tell you as much as I could about the assignments I worked on for the OSI, all those years ago."  
"What I didn't tell you, I guess the most important thing I didn't tell you about, was.."  
Suddenly Rick got a funny feeling, then looking out toward the barn, spotted a familiar  
figure. "Laurie, I don't mean to interrupt you, but your Grandmother's outside again."  
he said.  
  
"I wonder why, wait a minute, I wonder if she knew Oscar was going to tell me about  
my aunt," she wondered, then Rick raised her up off the sofa, saying "it's okay, darlin', we'll see why she's here."  
  
Walking outside with Rick, Laurie saw a loving expression on her Grandmother's face,  
then she sat down on one of the patio benches as Rick said, "Thank you for watching  
over Laurie in the blizzard, Grandmother."  
  
"I just wanted to make sure she could reach you, Richard." the spirit said, then  
smiled as Laurie told her "Grandmother, I tried to remember what you said, I  
wasn't very good at it, though. I won't forget what you taught me again, I  
promise."  
  
"Just as long as you don't let anything or anyone divide you, you'll be safe. Your  
uncle has always been there and he always will. There is one thing I need to tell  
you, my child. What Barnabas Collins once told you...." Kasey Adams hesitated,  
then Laurie nodded, "Yes, Grandmother, he loved you."  
  
A wistful look crossed her face, "Yes, I know he did. He knew he couldn't compete with  
my love for your Grandfather, though. I think you can understand what happened. You'll  
find what I remember in the journal you found in my father's cabin. Open the binding, and  
you'll read the truth." Surprised, Laurie found her voice as Rick tightened his arm around  
her shoulder. "Grandmother, you know what happened, what I was going to tell Rick?"  
  
"Yes, my child. Your love will help you both understand what happened, and Richard..."  
Rick looked at the spirit, startled again by a ghost speaking to him. "Yes, Grandmother?"  
"Always believe her, your wife is entrusting you with her past, so you'll understand why  
you and your family are so important to her now. Never let go. It will be all right."  
  
"Thank you, Grandmother." Laurie said, then Rick felt her shivering and as Kasey Adams  
faded into the sunlight, he scooped Laurie up in his arms and carried her back into the house.  
  
"Laurie, it's okay, I'll get you warm again." he soothed his wife, sitting her down in the kitchen and getting her a cup of tea. As he held Laurie in his embrace, she sipped the warm beverage and cuddled against him. "Darling, I'm all right. That was a shock. I didn't know what was true and what, well, what Barnabas Collins told me. Oh, Rick, it was so many years ago."  
she finally said, gazing up at him.  
  
"Sweetheart, whatever you want to tell me, what happened when you were lost to me  
all those years, I'll believe you. I listened to your Grandmother too, you know." he replied,  
then felt her kiss on his ear. "I love you, Rick, I know you'll understand. One thing you  
have to know, when I first knew the Collins family, I didn't know anything about  
Grandmother Kasey. I'd only been working with the OSI for a year or so, and Steve  
was mad at Oscar for scheduling me for what he thought was a dangerous assignment  
and he was ticked off at me for accepting it.  
  
I went to Collinsport in Maine to supposedly write an article on a new amusement park  
being built there, and Oscar had arranged for me to meet Aunt Elizabeth, to get some  
historical background on the town. There were so many rumors about a curse on the  
family from the townspeople, that when I got there I expected a crabby old woman  
to answer the door. Instead " Laurie started to choke up. " I met the warmest, most  
welcoming woman. Aunt Elizabeth took me under her wing and gave me all sorts of  
background info and treated me like a special guest.  
  
In fact, I got attacked when I went to the construction site for the amusement park, and she made me move out of the motel I was in and into Collinwood so I would be safe. Steve and I completed our assignment, but in catching this crazy scientist, I got hurt, so Aunt Elizabeth persuaded Oscar and Rudy to have me stay a couple of extra days. That's when I met her cousin Barnabas Collins."  
  
Rick took Laurie's cup and filled it with tea, as she stopped, as if trying to remember.  
  
"Laurie, if you don't want to continue, it's okay." he reminded her, then she took his  
hand in hers. "Rick , I want you to know, it's just that, looking back it seems so  
unreal. I was finishing my article and looking at the condemmed site of the  
amusement park, when I heard this voice call my name. I turned, and this very  
magnetic man was standing there. He introduced himself as a British cousin to the  
Collins's, then started asking me questions about my work. I was flattered, and then  
he told me he knew something about my family. That was my weak spot, I wanted to know more and well, I let him take me to his home. He was living in an old house on the Collins estate and when we entered, I had a strong sense that I was in danger."  
  
Laurie smiled wryly. "At first I got the feeling he was coming on to me. Fortunately, Steve came looking for me and I went back to Collinwood, but that night Barnabas came to me, as a vampire."  
  
She stopped and took a drink of tea, as Rick stared at her. "Laurie, he's a vampire?"  
  
His wife smiled. "He was, my love, but he was cured several years ago by his late  
wife. Back then, he was still under a 200 year old curse, and he bit me. I tried to  
fight him, but he took me back to the old house and tried to force me to become what he  
called "his" for all time. That's when he told me he had been in love with my Great-Grandmother, and that he wasn't going to fail a second time. He tried to hypnotise me, but I managed to reach Steve, and he came and stopped him. He almost drowned us both in the cellar of the old house." Laurie put her head against her husband's shoulder, "I pleaded with him, I said "if you loved my Grandmother Kasey, if you cared for me at all, you'd let us go. I don't love you, I only feel sorry for you, let us go and I'll keep your secret." He stopped the water from coming in, then told us to leave. Steve took me back to Collinwood, then the next day Aunt Elizabeth told us that "Cousin Barnabas" had left town on business.  
  
Of course I never told her what he had tried to do, but Steve and I ended up telling  
Rudy and Oscar when they saw the marks on my neck. Oscar was livid, and when  
Aunt Elizabeth invited me to come back he didn't want me to go. I went to visit  
lots of times without seeing Barnabas, then several years later he was cured by  
Dr. Hoffman, Julia Hoffman, who he ended up marrying. The witch who had condemned him to the curse tried to talk him into becoming a vampire again by biting me, but I told him I loved someone else, and Steve freed me before the witch could destroy us both. Once she was gone, he married Julia, and well, finally started to age. If you met him, Rick, you'd just think he was a distinguished old man."  
  
Rick was silent for a moment, then he felt Laurie's gaze on him. "Darling, when I  
heard Grandmother speak about Barnabas, I realized she thought about him the  
way I did, I felt sorry for him, but I never loved him. And when I told him I  
loved someone else, I was telling the truth. You see, I'd already broken up with Steve. I was comfortable with him as my best friend, but I was still hoping someday, that I would find you." she whispered, as Rick put his arm around her.   
  
"You did, and I'll never let you go again, I love you. Now I understand that look Oscar gave when he told you Barnabas Collins offered to help find you when you were missing." Rick told her. Glancing at the clock, he realized it was almost 10 am.  
  
"Sweetheart, I have to go, but, as crazy as it sounds, I believe you. I'm sorry the  
rest of that family kept you from your Aunt, but if someday you want to go back  
and pay your respects, I'll go with you." Rick kissed her , then getting up, felt  
her small hand in his. "Rick, my love." she pulled herself up, then putting her  
arms around his neck, kissed him passionately. "Thank you for believing in  
me, and loving me, my Lionheart."  
  
"Lionheart, huh!" he pretended to growl, making her giggle, then he swept her up  
in his arms and carried her to the living room.  
  
Setting her down finally, she caught her breath enough to get his jacket and his lunch and walked him to the door.   
  
"You behave yourself and use your cane if you go outside, promise?" he reminded  
her, hearing Oscar coming in the back door. "I promise, darling, now you drive  
carefully, and call me when you leave the office." she answered. Oscar came into the living room and put an arm around his niece as he said "I'll keep an eye on her, Rick, Rudy will be here later to start the fish, so don't forget to have Cecilia  
bring her special tartar sauce!"  
  
"I'll remember, and Oscar?" The big man looked over at Rick. "Thanks for your advice,  
I appreciate what my girl went though all those years and you and Rudy looking after her more then ever!"  
  
Grinning, Oscar waved him off. "Any time, pal!"  
  
As he started to drive away from the house, Rick suddenly put the brakes on, then rolling back  
to the front of the house, he got out as Laurie came out to the porch.  
  
"My sweetheart." he said, striding up the steps and taking her in his arms. Looking in his eyes,  
her wondering expression changed to one of joy, as he kissed her and said "thank you for waiting for me!"  
  
"Rick, thank you for being there, always. This is the happiest Thanksgiving, we have so many things to be grateful for, but most of all." Laurie embraced him. "I'm thankful for you!"  
  
"So am I, darlin'," he whispered, "so am I!"


End file.
